Prue
by J. B. Tilton
Summary: As Piper and Phoebe come to terms with the death of their sister, Prue makes the transition from the world of the living to the afterlife.
1. Default Chapter

CHARMED  
"PRUE"  
by J. B. Tilton  
email: aramath@isot.com  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: "Charmed" and all related characters and events are   
the property of the WB television network, except for those characters   
specifically created for this story. This is a work of fan fiction   
and no infringement of copyright is intended.  
  
* * *  
  
(Authors note: This story takes place between season 3 episode   
"All Hell Breaks Loose" and the end of season 4 episode "Hell Hath No   
Fury".)  
  
* * *  
  
As Piper and Phoebe come to terms with the death of their   
sister, Prue makes the transition from the world of the living to the   
afterlife.  
  
* * *  
  
ONE  
  
Prue Halliwell looked around. Everywhere she looked, it was   
white. A layer of what appeared to be clouds hovering just above her   
feet. All around her similar clouds swirled creating mist everywhere.  
  
She knew where she was without having to be told. She had been   
here before. When a warlock had tried to kill all the White Lighters   
leaving witches everywhere defenseless. She was "up there".  
  
But Leo hadn't orbed her there. And as far as she knew, she   
couldn't astral project there. The last few moments before being here   
were hazy. She and Piper had been in the underworld trying to save   
Phoebe. Then, suddenly, she was here. There was only one possible   
explanation for it.  
  
"I'm dead," she said aloud.  
  
Strangely, she wasn't disturbed by the realization that she was   
dead. In fact, there was a kind of inner peace she felt. That must   
be normal for those who had died. No more of life's burdens to carry   
around. No more of the daily drudgery of just living.  
  
So, if she was dead, what now? Pearly gates, wings, a halo, and   
sitting on a cloud somewhere strumming a harp for all eternity?   
Somehow, she doubted it. Then what? Shouldn't someone be here to   
meet her or something? To tell her what came next?  
  
"Okay," she said out loud, "what now?"  
  
"Now, you get reacquainted with old friends," said a voice   
behind her.  
  
She turned to see a man standing behind her. She knew him   
instantly, of course. In life, he had been a very important part of   
her life.  
  
"Andy," she whispered.  
  
"Hello, Prue," said Andy.  
  
"He's not alone," said Patty Halliwell walking out of the   
clouds, followed by Penny Halliwell.  
  
"Mom, grams?" questioned Prue in total surprise.  
  
The Three women hugged each other. It had been a long time   
since Prue had been able to hug her mother and or grandmother. She   
hadn't realized just how much she had missed them since their deaths.  
  
"It's so good to see you all," said Prue. "I mean, considering   
the circumstances. Of course, I hadn't expected to be here so soon.   
And it was kind of sudden."  
  
"Not so sudden for us," said Patty. "We've known for a while   
that you were coming up here."  
  
"This is going to be an easy one," said grams smiling.  
  
"An easy what?" asked Prue.  
  
"Transition," said Andy. "Sometimes the transition from living   
to dead can be difficult. The hardest part is getting the person to   
accept that they've actually died. You seem to have already accepted   
it."  
  
"I always knew it could happen," said Prue. "I guess I just   
didn't believe it would ever really happen. Now that it has, it's not   
so hard to accept. What about Piper and Phoebe. Are they . . ."  
  
"Alive," said Patty. "They've already returned to the Earthly   
realm and, for the moment at least, they're resting comfortably at the   
manor."  
  
"Good," said Prue. "I'm glad to see their okay."  
  
"Well, that's part of why you're here," said Andy.  
  
"I don't understand," said Prue.  
  
"Come on," said Andy. "There's something we need to show you."  
  
They walked through the swirling mists together. Having her   
mother, grandmother, and Andy with her made Prue feel more at ease.   
Something that struck here a bit odd considering she was no longer   
alive and such things shouldn't matter to her. They came to a   
freestanding pedestal about four feet tall. On top of it was what   
appeared to be a mirror.  
  
"I see her acceptance of her death was an easy matter," said an   
older man in white robes, walking out of the mists.  
  
"Who are you?" asked Prue.  
  
"Oh, you've have some interesting names for us over the years,"   
said the man. "I believe you once said that we weren't your favorite   
people."  
  
"An Elder," said Prue.  
  
"Guilty as charged," said the man, smiling.  
  
"Okay," said Prue. "So what is it that you want to show me?"  
  
"Those who have recently passed over are usually concerned with   
how their loved ones are taking their deaths," said the Elder. "So we   
allow them to look in on their loved ones. In your case, you'll be   
allowed to look in on Piper and Phoebe for a bit."  
  
"Thank you," said Prue. "I guess I am concerned how they'll go   
on without me around."  
  
"The mirror will let you see what's going on down on Earth,"   
said Andy. "We," he indicated Patty and Penny, "will try to answer   
any questions you might have."  
  
"Before we show you Piper and Phoebe," said the Elder, "there's   
something else you should see first."  
  
He passed his hand over the mirror on the pedestal and an image   
began to form in the mirror. 


	2. Chapter 2

TWO  
  
Prue watched the scene of a bedroom. She recognized the   
bedroom. It was Phoebe's bedroom. She could see Phoebe in the bed   
asleep. It was dark out. In one corner of the room stood a man.  
  
"Who's that?" asked Prue, very concerned for her sister.  
  
"Don't be alarmed," said the Elder. "The man is not there to do   
harm to your sister. He is Fate. He is there to help her deal more   
effectively with your death. While she has accepted your death, she   
is also feeling as if she is less significant than she is."  
  
"That's crazy," said Prue. "She was one-third of the Charmed   
Ones. I know she and I often had our differences, but she had to have   
known she was always important to Piper and me. Without her, we would   
never have become the Charmed Ones."  
  
"That is not the problem," said the Elder. "Her concerns stem   
from her power. She feels that her precognitive power is somehow less   
important than those of you or your sisters'. Each power has a   
purpose. While one may be more powerful or more important in a   
particular circumstance, all of the powers are a necessary part of the   
Charmed Ones. Fate is simply there to give your sister a different   
perspective on her role as a Charmed One."  
  
"Good," said Prue. "I know I didn't tell her how important she   
was to me enough when I was alive. I wish I could have the chance to   
tell her just one last time."  
  
"I'm afraid that's not allowed," said the Elder.  
  
"So, how are Piper and Phoebe really doing?" asked Prue. "I   
mean about dealing with my death?"  
  
The scene changed again. It was still Phoebe's bedroom but this   
time it was light out. Phoebe lay on her bed, wiping tears from her   
eyes. Used tissues littered the bed and floor.  
  
"Phoebe is still grieving, which is to be expected," said Patty.   
"From her point of view, it's only been a few days since your death.   
It will be a while before the sting of your passing goes away. But   
she's coping quite well. She's stronger than I would have imagined."  
  
"I'm glad she's okay," said Prue. "I was afraid she might not   
be able to escape the underworld after I died. I'm glad to see she   
made it out okay."  
  
"She's fine, as you can see," said Andy.  
  
"What about Piper?" asked Prue. "How is she doing?"  
  
The scene in the mirror changed again. This time Prue watched   
as Piper came into view. Piper was in the attic of the manor rapidly   
flipping through the Book of Shadows.  
  
"She looks fine," said Prue.  
  
"Except that she isn't," said the Elder. "She is in great pain.   
And greater danger."  
  
"Prue," said Andy, "Piper hasn't accepted your death yet. Right   
now, she's desperately looking for a way to bring you back."  
  
"Can she do that?" asked Prue.  
  
"No, she can't," said the Elder. "But she won't accept that.   
The anger and hatred inside her won't let her accept that you're gone.   
Nor will it allow her to realize that she can't bring you back."  
  
"What danger is she in?" asked Prue.  
  
Once again the mirror changed. Prue watched as three women   
moved through a dark alley. The women were dressed in dark, flowing   
robes. Their faces appeared to be painted with strange markings. The   
looks on their faces were unmistakable. They were the looks of pure   
anger, pure hatred.  
  
"That is the danger," said the Elder.  
  
"What are they?" asked Prue.  
  
"They're called Furies," said Penny. "They're creatures   
consumed by rage and hatred. They search out humans who are also   
consumed by anger and hatred. They turn the anger of those people   
into uncontrollable rage. In order to turn them into Furies, like   
themselves."  
  
"Why are they a threat to Piper?" asked Prue. "Can't she just   
vanquish them?"  
  
"Normally, yes," said the Elder. "But this is hardly a normal   
circumstance."  
  
"Prue," said Patty, "Piper's anger over your death is more than   
just anger. It's almost an uncontrollable rage. That's what the   
Furies center in on. It will cloud Pipers' judgment. It makes her   
susceptible to their power."  
  
"They've already sensed her rage," said the Elder. "They want   
to make Piper like them."  
  
"We have to stop them," said Prue. "We can't just stand here   
and do nothing. Piper is danger."  
  
"There's nothing we can do, honey," said Patty. ""In order for   
Piper to move on, she has to let go of her rage. No one can force her   
to do that. She has to choose to do it."  
  
"What if those Furies get to her first?" asked Prue.  
  
"They'll turn her into one of them," said Andy.  
  
"And if she takes a life as a Fury," said the Elder, "she'll be   
lost forever." 


	3. Chapter 3

THREE  
  
"There must be something we can do," protested Prue. "Some way   
to get through to her."  
  
"She wouldn't listen to anyone," said the Elder. "Her rage   
nearly consumes her."  
  
"Surely you of all people should understand the futility that   
words provide at a time like this," said a man dressed in all black   
who came walking out of the mist.  
  
"Death," said Prue, recognizing the figure.  
  
"Do you remember your own unwillingness to accept the death of   
your mother?" asked Death. "The years that you harbored your anger   
and resentment of me? How it seems so unfair that I had taken her   
from you?"  
  
"I remember," said Prue. "I also remember that I did eventually   
come to accept it. You showed me how wrong I was for doing that."  
  
"But not right away," said Death. "That's where Piper is now.   
But she was with you when you died. That has intensified her feelings   
about your death. Yours was more of a slow boil, building over years,   
making you immune to the power of the Furies. Hers is more of a   
raging bonfire. An all-consuming rage that threatens to destroy her   
and all those around her."  
  
"Isn't there anything we can do?" asked Prue.  
  
"Not at the moment," said the Elder. "There will come a point   
where she will have to make a choice. To release her anger and get on   
with her life. Or to hold onto it and hold it inside of her. At that   
point, it may be possible to redeem her. But until she reaches that   
point, we can do nothing but watch and pray."  
  
Prue felt helpless. Death left the group alone, returning to   
his task of ending peoples' Earthly existence. Neither a good nor an   
evil thing, as Prue had once believed. It simply was. Death comes to   
all. It had taken her a very long time to accept that.  
  
But Piper hadn't accepted that yet. She still believed that she   
could bring Prue back to her. To restore the sister who had meant so   
much to her. Prue and Piper had a bond that neither had with Phoebe.   
That bond had made Prues' death especially hard on Piper.  
  
Prue could only stand by and watch as the Furies used their   
power to amplify Pipers' rage. To make her as they were. And she   
watched as her sister, now consumed of near total rage and anger, set   
out in search of victims of her own.  
  
"She has to release her anger over Death," said Prue. "She has   
to save herself."  
  
"She's not angry at Death," said the Elder. "Death, she   
understands."  
  
"Her anger is at you," said Patty, "for leaving her. Especially   
with a violent death, people need someone to blame. To give the death   
meaning. To know that there was a reason the person died and it   
wasn't just in vain."  
  
"Unfortunately," said Penny, "too often the anger is   
misdirected. The person in pain lashes out at the very person who has   
died. Blaming then when they really had nothing to do with it."  
  
"Wait," said the Elder. "It is nearly time. In a moment, Piper   
will have to make her decision. Whether to release her anger or   
continue to feed on it."  
  
"Prue looked in the mirror. She watched as Cole held Piper,   
trying to restrain her. To keep her from hurting herself or someone   
else. Suddenly, Prue watched as Cole shimmered and he and Piper   
vanished. Almost instantly she saw them appear in the mausoleum.   
Next to Prue's crypt.  
  
"Now," said the Elder, "it is time. If she is going to release   
it, it will be now."  
  
He turned to Prue.  
  
"You're the object of her misplaced rage," said the Elder.   
"Only you can save her now. Andrew is going to take you to Piper. If   
she chooses to release her anger, you must pull it from her. Give it   
a place to go. So that it doesn't remain inside her to consume her.  
  
"You are in no danger, I assure you. You will simply be a   
conduit for Pipers' rage to escape her. The experience may be a bit   
unpleasant, but the rage cannot harm you. If you can drain it from   
Piper, it will dissipate away harmlessly. If you can't, she'll be   
lost forever."  
  
"That's not going to happen," vowed Prue.  
  
"They won't be able to see or hear you," said the Elder.   
"You'll be nothing more than a shadow in the darkness while you're   
there. I wish you luck."  
  
Prue took Andy's arm and suddenly they appeared in the mausoleum   
near Piper and Cole. 


	4. Chapter 4

FOUR  
  
"Piper," said Prue.  
  
"She can't hear you," said Andy.  
  
"I know," said Prue. "I only wish she could. So I could tell   
her how much I love her. How much she means to me."  
  
"If she decides to release her rage," said Andy, "you'll know it   
instantly."  
  
"What do I do?" asked Prue. "How do I draw it out of her?"  
  
"I can't answer that," said Andy. "It's not the same for   
everyone. But I know you'll find a way. You were always the most   
resourceful person I ever met.  
  
"Your first instinct will be to turn away from it. You'll have   
to fight that. Remember, you're the only one who can save her.   
You're in no danger, but as the Elder said, it might be uncomfortable   
for you."  
  
Prue watched as the Piper-Fury fought with Cole. She struggled   
to break his hold as he told her to let go of her anger. To tell Prue   
how she felt.  
  
Suddenly, Piper turned to Prues' crypt. At the same instant,   
Prue felt the rage and hatred inside Piper sweep over her. Piper was   
trying to release it. Prue fought the urge to turn from it. It was a   
repulsive, wicked feeling. If Prue had still been alive, she had no   
doubt it would have made her physically ill. Little wonder Piper had   
succumbed to the Furies.  
  
But Prue had no idea how to draw the rage from Piper. As   
revolting as the feeling was, Prue knew it was only a fraction of what   
Piper was feeling. Piper was trying to release that rage, but it had   
nowhere to go. Unless Prue could figure out a way to draw it from her   
sister, Piper was doomed.  
  
"Oh, Piper," cried Prue, "I don't know what to do. I don't know   
how to help you. Piper, honey, help me. I love you. Show me what I   
need to do."  
  
Suddenly Piper broke free of Cole's hold. She turned to the   
crypt and began pounding furiously on it.  
  
"Why?" screamed Piper, tears streaming down her face, "why did   
you leave me? Why did you have to die on me? How could you desert me   
like that?"  
  
Prue felt the brunt of Piper's rage and hatred hit here. It was   
malevolence unlike anything she had ever felt before. Almost as if it   
were a living thing, trying to suffocate her. It was almost   
unbearable.  
  
For an instant, Prue started to turn from the wave of vile that   
was washing over her. Then she stopped. No, she swore to herself,   
she wouldn't turn away. No matter how vile and repulsive this was.   
She had always been there for Piper before. Through every heartache,   
every disaster, every tribulation.  
  
When their father had walked out. When their mother had died.   
When grams had passed. They had been there for each other. Giving   
each other their love and strength. That was how Prue would drain the   
rage from Piper. By giving her sister her own strength. Allow her to   
force that rage out of her.  
  
This would be the last time Prue would be able to be there for   
Piper. She couldn't let her sister down now, no matter how vile and   
disgusting it might be. Now, more than any other time, Piper needed   
her. Prue turned and faced the onslaught of the rage and hatred that   
assaulted her.  
  
As Piper pounded on the grave, tears streaming down her face,   
Prue endured. Wave after wave washed over Prue as she sought to draw   
even more out of her sister. The rage and hatred threatened to   
overwhelm and consume her.  
  
With each wave of rage and hatred, the intensity weakened.   
Little by little it lost strength as Prue pulled more out of Piper.   
The bond formed by the two through years of adversity gave Prue the   
strength and courage to take all of Pipers' hatred. The bond was a   
power that made even the Power of Three pale by comparison.  
  
Suddenly, Piper changed. The markings of the Furies vanished.   
Piper slumped to the floor of the mausoleum, herself once more. Free   
of the evil that had threatened to consume her.  
  
Just as suddenly, the waves of rage and hatred ceased washing   
over Prue. All Prue felt now was grief and sadness. There was a   
twinge of anger mixed in but Prue decided that was probably normal.   
It was natural to feel a little anger when someone you cared for left   
you.  
  
"That's it," said Andy, putting his hand on Prue's shoulder.   
"You've done it. You saved it."  
  
"Andy, I can take it all from her," said Prue. "All the grief,   
all the sadness, everything. I can save Piper from going through it."  
  
"No," said Andy, "you can't. A certain amount of grief is   
necessary for her. Just as it was necessary for you when I died. But   
she can handle it now. She's through the worst of it."  
  
Prue looked at here sister once more as Piper sat on the floor   
of the crypt sobbing. She knew Piper would be okay. Her only regret   
was that she couldn't appear to Piper. To let her know everything was   
going to be all right.  
  
"We need to be going," said Andy. "You did what you came here   
to do. It's time we returned to the others."  
  
"So," said Prue, putting her arm around Andy, "just how did you   
become so smart?"  
  
"I thought you knew," said Andy, smiling coyly.  
  
"Knew what?" asked Prue.  
  
"White Lighters know a great many things," said Andy as he orbed   
them out of the mausoleum. 


	5. Chapter 5

FIVE  
  
"You're a White Lighter?" Prue was asking Andy as they orbed   
into Penny, Patty, and the Elder.  
  
"Of course he is, dear," said Penny. "He died protecting the   
Charmed Ones. How did you think the Elders would reward him? A pat   
on the back and a thank you?"  
  
"With all due respect to your grandmother," said the Elder,   
smiling, "he was chosen to be a White Lighter long before that."  
  
"They offered and I said yes," said Andy.  
  
"You know the rules," said Leo, walking out of mist. "A White   
Lighter has to sever all contact with those he knew in life."  
  
"You knew about this?" asked Prue.  
  
"Of course," said Leo. "But I wasn't allowed to say anything.   
You know I would have told you if I could have."  
  
"I know," said Prue. "How are Piper and Phoebe?"  
  
"They're doing fine," said Leo. "Thanks for your help with   
Piper. We were afraid we would loose her."  
  
"She's my sister," said Prue. "I couldn't do anything else."  
  
"I know," said Leo, "but I know how hard something like that can   
be. I've helped people go through it a hundred times. I still   
appreciate everything you did for her."  
  
"No problem, brother-in-law," said Prue. "Oh, are you still my   
brother-in-law? I mean, I am dead."  
  
"We all are, dear," said Patty. "If you want to call Leo your   
brother-in-law, I'm sure no one will have a problem with it."  
  
"What about the Power of Three?" asked Prue. "With my death,   
it's gone. Won't that put Piper and Phoebe in danger from demons and   
warlocks and whatever?"  
  
"That's no longer your concern," said the Elder. "But I will   
tell you that arrangements have been made for that contingency. They   
are going to be fine."  
  
"I'm glad to hear that," said Prue. "I wish I could be there   
for them. It's going to be hard knowing they're out there fighting   
evil and I won't be able to even look in on them from time to time."  
  
"Oh, I'm sure you're going to be much too busy to be worried   
about that," said the Elder.  
  
"Busy?" questioned Prue. "Busy doing what? I'm dead. What   
would I be doing that's going to keep me that busy?"  
  
"Of course you're dead," said the Elder. "That's the final   
requirement."  
  
"Requirement for what?" asked Prue.  
  
Everyone else was smiling. They were smiles that intimated they   
knew something Prue didn't know.  
  
"Well, now," said the Elder, "your acquaintance with Leo has   
given you all the information you need, so I suppose we can dispense   
with the normal orientation for you. So it would seem all that is   
necessary is for you to make a decision one way or the other."  
  
"Decision?" asked Prue. "Decision about what?"  
  
"The decision about if you want to accept the offer to become a   
White Lighter," said the Elder, smiling.  
  
The End  
  
If you've enjoyed this story, you can find more "Charmed"   
stories at my website, www.geocities.com/killeenmale/ . You can also   
post your own "Charmed" stories if you like to write fan fiction. 


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